A typical drain system commonly used in building structures such as, for example, residential housing, apartment complexes, commercial/industrial buildings and the like is a gravity system. A gravity system relics on gravity to move waste water from a plumbing device, such as a sink, through drain pipes and into a sewer system. In typical systems, a trap, commonly referred to as a P-trap, is located directly under each plumbing device. The P-trap includes a wastewater channel having a U-shaped portion. A small amount of the wastewater from the plumbing device, remains in the U-shaped portion following the flow of wastewater though the P-trap. The U-shaped portion is sized and shaped such that it is filled by the remaining portion of the wastewater fill after the introduction of wastewater into the P-trap is discontinued. The remaining portion for the wastewater fills the entire cross section of the wastewater channel thereby forming a gas-proof barrier that prevents gases from the sewer system from escaping through the drain system into the environment surrounding the plumbing device.
In operation, it is common for the wastewater to include debris deposited into the plumbing device. For example, debris is often introduced into a stream of clean water that flows into the plumbing device. During flow of wastewater through the P-trap, it is also common for at least a portion of the debris to sink/settle to the bottom of the U-shaped portion of the P-trap. As a result, it is also common for the P-trap to collect debris that sinks/settles to the bottom off the P-trap as it falls out of suspension within the wastewater, thereby creating a clog in the U-shaped portion of the P-trap. It is well-known that the clogged drain can cause wastewater to back up into the plumbing device. In order to remove the clog, it is often necessary to remove the P-trap from the drain system for allowing the debris causing the clog to be removed or to allow the P-trap to be replaced, both of which often require the services of a plumber.
Therefore, a solution to the problem of debris clogging the P-trap of a drain system without the need to remove the P-trap or otherwise involve the services of a plumber would be advantageous, desirable, and useful.